All that is well and good
by GBird
Summary: An essay to Sandrei's story "I sent evil around you". Skipper is an extreme danger and the animals flee from his deathly sword - those who can. And Skipper has hurt Private deep down in his soul. A story about sorrow and hope. Warn.: Blood! Please review!
1. Chained

**Chained**

Private heard the sound of leaves rushing in a strong wind. He felt it on his face. The wind went violently under his feathers and made him shiver.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. For a moment, he didn't know where he was. Then he recognized the trees as those of the Central Park. They were bending and creaking in the force of the wind. Dark clouds scudded in shreds over the sky.

Private lay in the cold grass.

He felt dizzy and he wondered how he got here. He realized a pain in his flippers. The more he got aware of it the more it hurt. Private looked down on them and he felt like his heart stopped.

A metal rod was shot right through his wings. On both sides it was hold by chains, so that it wasn't possible to pull it out. One chain went over his body, the other one under it. Both were hit and anchored into a rock behind him.

Two more chains were positioned in the rock, leading to his feet where they were connected with shackles being closed tightly around his legs.

Private stared again at his flippers in shock. Blood was pouring them down. That was Skipper's work, he knew it, who else's? But why? Why?

The pain in his flippers increased. Whenever Private moved them a single bit, the metal stick send a merciless booming pain through his whole body. That effected the wounds he had from Skipper's sword to start hurting, too.

Private realized that his feathers of the side he was lying on, felt wet. He had first thought that it was just the grass being wet, but now he saw, that the grasses were blotched with a dark liquid. Private now realized that he lied on the side in which Skipper had drilled the blade. When he had dropped him here, he must had wallowed him around by chaining him, wiping his blood over the grass blades.

Every time, Private looked at his flippers, he got an horrible sting in his stomach. He couldn't believe what he saw. He didn't _want_ believe what he saw. A desperate and hopeless feeling came up in him.

Eventually, he closed his eyes and hoped that when he opened them again, everything would be fine. But of course it wasn't.

Private felt the pain pulsing in his veins. Helpless, he turned his head so he could look behind him. The zoo's gates weren't far away – but nobody was in sight. Not even a pigeon.

When he moved, it was like Skipper was thrusting his sword in his body again.

Private screamed involuntarily.

"Help!" he cried into the wind, hoping that anybody would here him. "Please help!"


	2. The look of a broken soul

**The look of a broken soul**

If Skipper spotted him it was over. He knew that. His only chance was to steal away without attracting any attention. This couldn't be so hard. Unless, Skipper's senses had improved as much as his strength and aggression had increased. He just hoped that he wouldn't run over his path…

Kowalski pressed himself tighter to the brick wall of the elephant's habitat, which was empty as every one in the zoo was. He didn't knew where everyone had gone. He just hoped that they all escaped Skipper's deathly flippers.

Kowalski looked another time over the zoo ground to reckon the distance to the zoo gates. Then he went on his way. He took cover behind every obstacle that he could find and hid in the ruins of the lemur habitat, where the first explosion had been.

When he had nearly reached the gates, he saw a movement in the corner of his eye. Hastily, he ducked into the shadows and looked around the corner. His heart sank as he saw what he had apprehended. Slightly panicked, Kowalski pressed himself deeper into the dark corner of the wall. Skipper walked past right before him. If he looked his direction, he would spot him and then… Kowalski held his breath. There was no chance to escape. Skipper looked around as if he was searching for something or thinking. Kowalski closed his eyes. His lung started to hurt. Skipper was mumbling away to himself. Then he seemed to make a decision and walked back towards the penguin exhibit.

Kowalski opened his eyes and looked after him. That was close. Much too close…

It needed some time until he could loose himself from his rigidity. His heart was pounding painfully in his chest. Kowalski let it calm down before he continued his way to the gates. When he had passed them a sharp gust hit him in the face. Out here in the park, the wind was much stronger than inside the zoo.

He heard the trees moaning and creaking. The wind was howling. But there was also another noise. A voice. Or more, a silent whimper being shred by the wind and reappearing again. Kowalski looked right and discovered a small black heap near the trees. Kowalski felt his heart drop.

He walked towards it. The closer he came the more he could see and he went quicker and quicker. Finally he ran towards the little penguin who was chained to a rock.

"Private, Private!" he called and knelt down beside him.

Private's face was turned to the ground and his body shook in sobs. Kowalski's flippers wandered for a moment desperately over Private's bloody body. He saw the chains and the rod that was pushed through the boy's flippers. Kowalski's stomach turned. He took a deep breath to get rid of the queasy feeling that came up in him. He reached with his flippers to Private's head and lifted his face up gently.

Private opened his eyes, which were swollen from weeping.

"Private?" Kowalski asked quite worried.

Private looked up to him. Kowalski's heart sank further when he looked into Private's eyes…

"Ko-kowalski?" Private muttered.

"Yes it's me. It's alright now."

Kowalski felt Private was shivering from pain. He looked at the chains. Private whimpered. Kowalski could see how afraid he was.

"It's alright now" he repeated and stroked Private gently.

Private felt it and it remembered him of Skipper's stroking. But this one here was different. This one was good. And it reassured him.

"What happened?" Kowalski asked.

"S-s-s-Skipper" Private stammered and Kowalski understood.

"Kowalski…" Private whimpered "he did this to me. Why?"

"Well," Kowalski said helplessly, "I guess to keep you from running away."

But suddenly he got a strange feeling that Private wasn't talking about his flippers.

"No…" Private uttered quietly. He nearly whispered as if he was afraid somebody else then Kowalski could hear it. "What he did … down in the lair… it made him fun to hurt me… but why? That's not our Skipper any more…"

"Private, what did he do?" Kowalski asked.

But Private shook his head and whimpered again as the movement caused new pain. Kowalski looked at him in shock. That Private refused to speak about it gave him a very bad misgiving.

He reached his flipper for the rod, but Private made a withdrawing move and Kowalski looked at him.

"Don't … touch it" Private whispered. His eyes were wide opened.

"Okay. I won't touch it. I will just look at it. Okay?"

Kowalski bend down and inspected Private's cruel fetter. He would only be able to free him from it, when he broke open the chains – at least on one side so he could pull the rod out. But therefore he needed a proper tool. Also Private's leg irons wouldn't be able to open with his bare flippers. There was only one choice…

"Private, listen" Kowalski said in a tense voice, "I will leave you know, but-"

"No!" Private cried out "Don't leave me alone here!"

"I will soon be back. I promise. I have to get back to the zoo and find some tools to open your shackles. Maybe find Rico - If he's still in the zoo… But I will soon come back. Okay?"

"But what if Skipper returns?" asked Private panicked.

"He won't."

"How do you know that?"

"Because-" Kowalski hesitated "Because I promise you."

"How can you do that?" Private doubted.

"Private, when I promise you that Skipper won't come before I'll be back, then he won't! Okay?"

Kowalski felt his eyes getting wet when he looked deep into Private's blue eyes. It was like he looked right into his soul. And he could see that something had been crushed, deep down there. Whatever Skipper had done to him, had damaged Private's heart. He hoped, that it wasn't too serious.

"Okay" mumbled Private.

"I'll be right back, I promise" Kowalski said again and jumped up.

He hated to leave him now. He hated himself for turning his back to the little penguin and leaving him alone with his pain in the harsh wind. His heart told him to stay with him. Private needed now someone to reassure him. But his brain told him that it was to dangerous here. He had to bring Private somewhere safe. Beyond Skipper's reach…


	3. Moving in the Danger Zone

**Moving in the danger zone**

When Kowalski entered the zoo again, he made himself clear that he had to be even more careful then before. If Skipper caught him now, Private was lost…

But he knew what to do. Something told him that Rico was still here… somewhere. And he was alive. Kowalski thought about that gut feeling. Surely, it was just a hope his mind was clinging to, not to give up. Skipper had always told him to listen to his gut. Skipper… Kowalski's stomach cramped. The _old_ Skipper. Nothing was left of their leader, their protector. He was now the greatest danger of all.

Kowalski decided to look in their habitat for Rico. The danger was, that Skipper could be there too, and if Rico should be really there, he was surely already dead. But he had to make it clear.

Every five seconds, Kowalski threw a nervous glance over the shoulder while he was waddling through the deserted zoo. By reaching the fence of the penguin area, he listened if he could here any noises from inside. But the wind was howling too loud, although it was far not as strong as in the park. He thought of Private. Then he jumped over the fence and went carefully closer the lair-entrance. The hatch was open. Carefully he looked inside. No sign of Skipper.

"Rico?" he whispered – no response.

Before he climbed down the ladder, he took a look around to make sure that Skipper wasn't already coming for him.

When he stepped down the last rung past the bunks, his foot landed in something wet. He looked down.

His stomach turned. For water was this liquid to thick… he also noticed dark sparks of already dried blood on the wall.

Kowalski took a deep breath and stepped over the pool to search the rest of their HQ. But he had no success.

He was pleased when he had left this cold place again, that had once been their home, and stood outside. What next?

His heart jumped to his throat when he heard a scream from the next habitat. Panicking, he searched for a cover and slid behind the little hut beside the lemur habitat. He climbed to its top and looked over the zoo.

From there he could see, who had screamed and why.

In the baboon habitat, Darla and one of her friends backed away from Skipper. Kowalski could see the motionless body of the third girl lying on the grass. Skipper pointed with his blood-besmeared sword at Darla.

"What? Ya believing in my strength now, stupid mammal?" he said "Did you really think that I wouldn't hear you sputtering with your friends, huh? One already paid the price, and you're next!"

He stepped towards them and the baboons backed away till they were stopped by the habitat's wall.

"Please" begged Darla in a high voice. "We do everything you want!"

"Oh, I just wanna see you dead" Skipper shrugged.

Kowalski was watching terrified. He couldn't just let them being killed. He was just about to jump on the roof of the hut when something in his brain shouted: "No, stop! Don't do that."

He wouldn't have a chance against Skipper, and he couldn't leave Private to his fate. Desperately he looked around. On the foot of the hut lay several stones; he jumped down and got one. But for a good throw he had to get closer.

"Good night" grinned Skipper and made himself ready to jump. His sword blinked as if it was alive itself and looked forward to reach into people's flesh.

Darla and her friend begged him for mercy but Skipper laughed.

Kowalski climbed on the brick wall of the lemur habitat, that was only halfway destroyed. He aimed and with all his strength, he threw the stone. It hit Skipper in the back of his head and he stumbled.

Darla and her friend were standing in shock. Then, Darla discovered Kowalski on the wall of the opposite habitat. He was wildly gesticulating. Darla got it.

"Come" she said to her friend and took her by the arm. Within seconds, the baboons had jumped over the wall and where running through the zoo. They climbed over the external zoo wall and disappeared in the park.

Kowalski saw Skipper regaining consciousness. He hadn't really passed out but he felt dizzy and had problems to stand tall. A thin trail of blood was running down his neck. However, he yelled in anger and turned around to spot the one who had dared to attack him.

But Kowalski had already vanished from the wall and was running back through the zoo. He needed something to hide... The hospital zone!

"Come out you little son of a bitch!" he heard Skipper's murderous shout behind him.

The door of the hospital was ajarred; Kowalski reached for it. When he got to the door, Skipper came in sight and looked into his direction - just a moment after Kowalski had hidden in the doorway. But Skipper didn't turn the look off. Had he seen him?

Kowalski hold his breath, sucked in his stomach and went through the door, not to move it a millimeter. Through the gab he looked back.

Skipper turned around and went away, towards the park. Maybe he hoped to get Darla and her friend after all. At least he didn't walk through the zoo gates where he had met Private…

Kowalski sighed relieved and sank down on the wall. Too close… again.

Once his heart was beating normal again, Kowalski made his way to the doctor's office. There, he would surely find something that would help him breaking Private's chains.

When he entered the corridor, he saw something letting his heart fell. In the middle of the hall laid the body of an animal. Kowalski saw at once that it was one of the spider monkeys. He bend over him to look after his condition, but at once he realized by the wide open eyes of the monkey, that he was dead. Kowalski hardly knew those guys from the habitat positioned next to the hospital. He thought, the name of this one was Mark…

Kowalski went further through the corridor. As he reached the ajarred door of the treatment room, he hesitated. What would he find in there? More dead bodies? Mark's had been littered with cuts and he had had a stab in his chest which had been surely the reason for his death. Also, it was still blood floating out of the wound which could just mean, that he wasn't dead since very long.

Kowalski plucked up courage and pushed against the door. In the room it was cold, because the window was wide open and the wind was ice cold blowing inside. But no more corpses were lying around.

Kowalski would have liked to close the window, but that would have been noticeable from outside.

He jumped up on the tray and started searching between the medicaments, medicine devises, tools and syringes.

He accidentally pushed a glass bowl, standing on the edge of the tray, down and it burst with a loud noise on the floor. Kowalski could smell alcohol.

"Damn" he whispered and looked out of the window. At least, no sign of Skipper after all.

But then, he heard a noise from the edge of the corner. He froze. He wasn't alone. Had Skipper yet sneaked through the window while he had turned his back on it and was now waiting with his sword right behind the shelf for him?

Kowalski felt his heart racing again and he grabbed a scalpel as weapon. He jumped down to the floor and stepped slowly towards the dark corner where he had heard the noise. He couldn't see anything there, but he heard someone moving.

Kowalski got closer. If it was Skipper, then he would be surely attacked any moment. He held the scalpel high in front of him and made another step forward.

A deep growl came out of the darkness, threatening and at the same time desperate. But it sounded familiar.

"Rico?" Kowalski asked slowly and got another snarl as respond.

"Rico, it's me. Kowalski."

The growling stopped. Kowalski heard the person moving again. Maybe it wasn't Rico. Maybe he was getting ready for an attack.

Kowalski looked above him and noticed a light switch on the wall. He jumped up and hit it. A weak bulb went on and set the dark corner into a yellow glimmer.

Once Kowalski had reached the ground again, he looked up… and took instinctively a step backwards.

It _was_ Rico. He was lying down on the wall in his own blood. His breathing was fast and his look wildered. He stared at Kowalski. He took a step towards him and Rico whimpered and tried to push himself panicky up the wall.

"Rico" Kowalski said softly. "It's me. Kowalski! I won't hurt you."

Rico sank down on the wall and glanced at him. Like in Private's eyes there was something in Rico's that made Kowalski sad. But it wasn't as severe. He took another step towards him and noticed that he still held the scalpel in his flippers. Slowly, to not frighten Rico any more, he bend down and laid it on the ground. Then he got closer to his friend. Rico's body trembled from the effort to keep himself in a half standing, half sitting position.

"Come on, Rico" Kowalski said with more strength in his voice "I'm not going to kill ya!"

Rico gave in and slid down on the wall.

"Good" Kowalski nodded.

Rico moaned. His body tilted to the side and he crashed to the floor.

Kowalski was immediately with him and rolled him sideward. A deep cut went right over Rico's right side.

He groaned when Kowalski let his flippers move over his body. Everything hurt. Before Skipper had wounded him with his sword, he had also beaten him up.

"Don't worry, Rico. We can fix this" Kowalski said and stood up. In this room was everything he needed. The scientist fetched some medicine wire and forceps, pulp and absorbent cotton. With that he went back to Rico.

Rico saw what he was about to do and lead his head stretched on the floor.

While Kowalski was putting stitches in his wound, he moaned from time to time, but he hold bravely still.

Kowalski discovered that the wound wasn't as bad as it looked like. When he was done, he stuck several big plasters over the injury to protect it from dirt. A bandage around Rico's body would have been too large and had only hampered him.

Eventually, Kowalski wiped the blood of Rico's feathers as far as possible and helped him getting on his feet.

"Can you walk?" he asked the weapon's expert. Rico nodded. But when he made his first step, he buckled sideways. Kowalski caught him and helped him going.

"Listen, Rico. Private needs our help. He is in the park. I promised him to be back soon and I'm already too long away. We have to hurry."

Rico nodded. The pain didn't make him feel like giving any word familiar noises away…

They took some of the medical stuff with them for Private. Then they went on their way. As they passed the dead spider monkey Mark in the hallway, Rico stopped. Kowalski did so too, because he had laid Rico's flipper around his neck to help him walking.

Rico looked down on the dead.

"Rmbglava" he mumbled.

"You fought with him together?" Kowalski asked. "Against-"

Somehow he wasn't able to pronounce his name.

Rico nodded.

They left the body behind and asked themselves if they would soon end up like him…

Skipper was nowhere to see when they left the hospital. Nervous like they were, they went through the zoo. Kowalski got suddenly aware of the fact that they wouldn't be safe just because they had passed the zoo gates. They had to free Private and move as soon as possible. Private…

"Listen, Rico" Kowalski said silent and looked around – for a hundred's time now.

"Mmh?" Rico made, looking at the paving stones moving away under his feet. This distracted him from the pain a little.

"Private is in a bad condition… I want you to know this: Skipper has done something to him I'm not sure about, but it hurt Private and I'm quite worried."

Rico looked up.

"I say it again, I'm not sure" said Kowalski and stretched his head when he looked over his shoulder for another time.

"But I think it might have been rape."

Rico's head flipped up. "What?"

"That would explain why he can't talk about it… again, it's a very quick illation and it's vague… but Private may be about to loose his mental balance. We have to take extra care of him. You understand?"

Rico nodded. They had now passed the gates.

The wind had become even stronger. The two penguins made their way over the grass to the rock where their comrade was chained to. Rico felt his strength returning and he could walk again with almost none of Kowalski's help.

Private had rolled together like a kitten. He held his tortured flippers carefully pressed against his belly.

Kowalski bend over him. When he felt the flipper on his shoulder, Private flinched.

"It's just us" Kowalski reassured him. Private looked up and a little smile formed on his face when he saw Rico.

"Rico, I need something like pliers here" said Kowalski, inspecting the rod through Private's flippers. Rico chocked them up and made himself to work with a soldering bolt on the chains to Private's feet. He knew there was no time to leave and the first important thing was to free Private from the rock. They could care for the leg irons later on.

Private whimpered when Kowalski pulled his flippers up carefully. The chains were quite fine-boned, but Kowalski didn't wonder about that. These chains weren't effective by their strength, they were effective by their pain. Kowalski severed the links of one chain and laid it aside.

"Okay, Private, this one might hurt" he said holding Private's flippers still gently. "Rico, would you hold his flippers? I will pull out the rod."

Rico had already melted through the chains on Private's feet; he knelt behind Private's back and took his arms.

Private whimpered. He had pushed his face to the ground to not see anything.

"Okay, here we go" said Kowalski and took the rod carefully with his own flippers. He pulled it out through the bloody holes of Private's wings and was as carefully as possible. Even so, it caused immense pain to Private and he started to scream.

"Shhh" made Kowalski reassuring, not lifting the look from his work. Private flinched and Rico had to hold him more tightly. Finally, Kowalski pulled the rod entirely out of the little penguin's flippers.

Private had started to weep. Kowalski ordered Rico to choke up the first aid kid they had taken from the animal hospital and started to vet the young private; his flippers as well as his wounds on his back and side, which had eventually almost stopped bleeding.

They helped Private up and he immediately pushed himself sobbing against Kowalski.

"Sh. It's okay, Private. It's over" Kowalski said softly and stroked over Private's back, while he was trembling. Private hold his bandaged flippers against his own chest and pressed his head tightly against Kowalski's.

Kowalski turned his head and looked at Rico. But Rico didn't notice. His look was as stare as his entire body and pointed back to the zoo.

Kowalski got a very bad feeling. He let go of Private and span around.

Skipper stood right in front of the gates. He held his sword in his right flipper and looked their way as if he was surprised by their sight.

* * *

><p><strong>Please, please review! I'm feeling like no-one's reading this... <strong>


	4. Flight and Sacrifices

**Okay, I never was in Central Park and don't know what species of trees are growing there, so I took the ones which are spread widely over my country…**

**°. **

* * *

><p><strong>Flight And Sacrifices<strong>

Private had spotted him too.

"Oh no" he heard Kowalski say quietly through the wind.

Skipper made a step in their direction.

"Run" Kowalski whispered, but nobody moved.

Skipper was now walking towards them. First slow, then faster.

"RUN!" Kowalski shouted and they turned around and fled into the forest. Kowalski looked back and saw Skipper getting nearer. He was fast and they were too slow. Private and Rico just couldn't run that quick in their condition.

Kowalski still got the hope that they could escape him, but when he looked over his shoulder a second time, it vanished. Skipper was already right behind them, Kowalski could see the mischievous expression on his face when he was catching up.

They ran around a group of trees and Kowalski suddenly stopped. Private and Rico yelled in horror, when they saw him turning back.

"Kowalski, what are you doing?" Private cried.

"I'll hold him back! Use the time and get away from here!"

"No! You've got no chance against him!"

Kowalski ignored him. Skipper appeared behind the trees.

Kowalski glanced at Rico.

"Rico, bring Private in safety! I count on you!"

Rico looked at him for a moment; then he nodded and grabbed Private's arm.

"No!" Private struggled but Rico pulled him with him. Before the tree trunks covered the sight, Private saw, how Skipper had almost reached Kowalski, sliding on his belly. His face was convulsed in anger, his sword pointed ahead.

"Rico! We can't leave him back" Private shouted in horror while running.

"Bulevangra sakrila blgrava!" Rico said, looking forward, meaning "He tries to give us time to escape, we can't throw that sacrifice away."

"Rambagliva" he added – "He'll be fine."

They ran through the woods. The panic made them both forget the pain of their injuries.

But when Private heard a scream behind them, he stopped abruptly.

"Kowalski" he whispered and turned actually around to run back. Rico was just able to grab him and pulled him further. "No!"

"But Rico! We have to help him!"

Rico just shook his head.

Another painful scream echoed through the forest, this time more desperate.

But Rico pulled Private further. Private struggled against his grasp and they came only slowly along.

Finally, Rico had enough. He grabbed Private by his shoulders and turned him so that he had to look him in the face.

"Lis'en" he said and gave a line of strange words away, but Private understood them:

"If Skipper has defeat him, that would mean that he's coming for us and will catch up soon!"

"Exactementé, Rico!"

Rico and Private spun around.

There, in front of the bushes, they had just went through, stood their old leader. The sword, he held right by his sight, was blotched with blood and he had some red spatters on his chest. But he hadn't even get a scratch himself. He grinned.

Private stepped back, looking horrified at the blood.

Rico reached out his right flipper and pushed Private slowly behind his back, not turning his look away from Skipper.

"Go" he whispered to him.

This time, Private hesitated just a moment. Then he turned around and pushed through the bushes.

Skipper laughed.

"Ah, come, come, Rico! You sure, you wanna challenge me?"

Rico bend his upper body and growled belligerent. Skipper sighed.

"Fine! Seems, I have to teach you a lesson just like I did to Kowalski."

Rico jumped at him, but Skipper eluded. Then it was his turn to attack. He beat with the sword for him and Rico could avoid the blade only for millimeters. But therefore, he gave up his defense and Skipper punched him in the stomach. He choked up some tools and they landed on the forest ground. Rico stumbled back. But Skipper didn't give him any time. He sprang forward and Rico threw himself to the side. Skipper turned around his own axis, getting drive with the sword, and Rico couldn't defend himself as he rammed it into his side. Rico screamed. He struggled against the metal and was able to push Skipper away. The blade went out of his flesh and he trembled back. Rico gasped for air, the pain was just much too intense. He tried to keep himself on his feet, but his legs trembled and denied him the service.

Skipper stood up slowly. He looked at the penguin that was squirming and wailing with pain on the ground. His grin reappeared on his face: what a nice view. He played with the sword and let it swirl slack in his right flipper, as he came closer.

Rico was panting, pressing his flippers on the wound to hold back the blood. He looked up and saw Skipper coming for him. Rico robbed backwards on the ground.

"Oh, Rico, you're not scared, are you?" Skipper said in a false caring tone.

Rico crouched further away.

Skipper packed him on his neck and pressed him with one foot to the ground so that he couldn't move. Rico felt the blade rubbing on his chest.

"Rra! Ramgrdlgradmgravarr!" he panicked.

"Really, Rico, I have no idea what you just said… I never understood how Kowalski and Private got your babbling so easy… Would you repeat it please more slowly? Then I may understand it, too."

Rico whimpered.

"No? Then not." He bend his arm with the sword back to lunge out. Rico made a squeaking sound.

"What?" Skipper acted as if he was hesitating.

He just loved that game. He felt Rico's body tremble under him and saw the fear in his eyes. He loved the feeling to be the one who made him look like a little baby. Helpless. Hopeless. But he could increase that even more if…

Skipper suddenly stood up.

"Okay, Rico" he said "I think I should give you some time to think over your mistake to attack me… In the meantime, I will search for little, young Private."

He turned around. Rico was lying in shock. But then he moved. _Private? _

Rico snarled after Skipper and tried to stand up.

With a bored expression on his face, Skipper went around to see how Rico floundered.

"Really, Rico. Give it a rest."

Rico moaned and fell back on the earth.

Skipper smiled. He turned around again and disappeared through the scrubs.

°.

Sacrifice. Sacrifice! Why did sacrifices mean, that he was all alone now?

Private ran through the forest. The ground was getting more uneven and it was going slightly uphill. His wounds send a stinging pain through his body. He also got the feeling that his side was getting wet and somehow warm. But he didn't care for it. To keep himself running, he recalled what Rico said again and again in his mind:

"_He tries to give us time to escape, we can't throw that sacrifice away__!"_

But the pain started to turn into a wave, that was swapping in his body back and forth, back and forth, with every step. Back and forth. Private couldn't run anymore; belly-sliding was with that ground anyway impossible. So he started to walk and eventually, even that hurt to much and at a clearing, where only a big old beech was standing in the dimmer light, Private sank against its trunk and slid it down on the earth.

He panted and pressed his flippers, in which the blood pulsed painfully, against the injury at his side. As he looked down, he saw, how it came red through the bandages, Kowalski had applied. Private laid his head against the beech's bark and tried to calm down his fast breathing.

He opened his eyes and looked up. He could see pieces of the grey sky when the wind ripped up the dark clouds above. At least, the storm had decreased.

And then he came. Suddenly, Private saw him standing at the edge of the clearing. Like a shadow.

He felt paralyzed, but his heart started to beat faster.

Skipper came slowly towards him. The sword hang against the ground, and a drip of blood fell down and trickled into the soil, when he stopped above Private.

Private pressed his back against the bark. Skipper was looking right into his face. Private noticed something moving in Skipper's eyes – but was that possible? Like a smoke. Like a fog, swirling over his irises for a moment. But then it had vanished.

Skipper smiled a devious smile.

"I guess, this time I'll let you go, Private" he said. He laid the sword over his shoulder and turned around. "I have to go back and finish up with Rico. He's waitin'…"

Before he disappeared between the trunks of the forest, he yelled: "Just go and look for your friends!"

Private lay on the earth and breathed quickly. He couldn't believe it. All the chasing and now he just looked into his face and went away? But there had been something with his eyes… Private had felt it. As if Skipper had looked into his heart… and read it like an open book…

He shivered. The wind was colder than before.

°.

Skipper approached the part of the forest, where he had left Rico, but his victim was gone. Only the dark spot on the forest ground marked the place, where the weapon's expert had lain in his blood.

Skipper clicked angrily with his tongue.

_I should have wounded him deeper._

He searched around the area and looked into the bushes.

"Come out, Rico" he sang "If you come out on your own, I will make it short. If I have to find you, I will give it time…"

Skipper didn't notice his victim was pressing itself against the trunk of a tree in five meters height, closing its beak tightly so that now sound came out, as the pain of its wounds pounded in his body by the effort.

Skipper quit the search after a while and looked a last time around.

"We'll see us again, soldier" he mumbled, more to himself, and with that he left.

Rico hold out till he could be sure that he was gone. Then he climbed down the tree by sliding from one branch to the next, while his strengths vanished. The last part, he just let himself fall down and he panted when he met the ground. There he lied now and tried to get control over the pain.

°.

It took about ten minutes until Private was able to get up. The panic had lain down but the fear was still there. He thought about Skipper's words for goodbye. _Go and look for your friends. _That had to mean that he let him do. And was not waiting behind the next tree for him to cut him to pieces… Private started hesitating to walk the way back he came.

The storm had now almost calmed down to a whisper in the trees. Maybe that was a sign that Skipper was gone… When he had approached Private at the beech, the wind had suddenly increased. Private thought about that. Where Skipper showed up, there was the storm… maybe he controlled it?

Despite those thoughts, Private was afraid to walk on the same path, Skipper had taken when he went. So he walked a bit beside it, glancing apprehensively around the trunks. Was Rico still alive?

_Clod!_, he said to himself. _Don't start even thinking about it! They're both fine!_

He didn't know what to feel. On the one hand, he was terribly afraid, on the other hand he was angry at Kowalski and Rico that he was alone now. Why did they have to leave him?

Therefore, that Private left the path, he missed the place where he and Rico had been caught up by Skipper. He didn't notice, but he started to wonder that he didn't meet him.

He saw the forest getting bright before him and as he pushed through the bushes, he saw the group of young trees surrounded by grass and low vegetation. And before them, just a few meters away from him, lay…

"Kowalski!" Private gasped and ran to him to sink down at his rear. He laid his flippers on Kowalski's left side, which was turned upside, and shook him gently.

"Hey, Kowalski," he said softly, "wake up!"

But the penguin didn't react.

Private shoved his flipper under Kowalski's cheek, like he had done with him, as he found him chained near the zoo gates. In the next second, Private pulled it back with a terrified scream. He had felt something. Something that was hot and wet and…soft. He looked at his flipper and it was covered with blood. Private bend deep over Kowalski and turned his head carefully with the peaks of his flippers. A deep cut was running over Kowalski's face, right down below his right eye, which was, as both, closed.

_Okay_, Private reassured himself, _nothing that couldn't heel._

But still when he thought that, he looked down and his heart stopped for a second.

Kowalski's belly feathers were soaked deep red, and hung down wet from the liquid. Between his flippers and feet, which formed an arena, because he was lying in a crouched position, was the ground covered with blood. At the same time Private saw that horrible image, he felt something hot on his left leg. As he looked down, he screamed horrified and jumped back. The hot stuff on his foot was blood, and there he had knelt at Kowalski's rear, this may mean... Private hadn't seen any cut marks at his back when he had reached him.

Shaking from the presentiment, Private crouched forward on all his four and laid his flippers on Kowalski's side again, bending down to his front side.

_No! This can't be true!_, Private thought as he saw what he had feared.

Desperately, he pressed his ear hole against Kowalski's chest to hear his heartbeat. But there was no heartbeat…

"No!" Private screamed and started to shake Kowalski frantically. "No! Kowalski, wake up! Wake up!"

Kowalski's head slapped motionless from side to side. Private felt tears burning in his eyes.

"No!" he cried again. A sob cut him short. The tears were streaming down his cheeks. He had a pressure on his ears. The whole dark forest, the dark sky, the whole world seemed to push down on him and squeeze him to death.

"No…" he whispered again. He looked at the hole in Kowalski's abdomen, that started front and cut out on his back side. His head started spinning.

"Please don't…" Private sank slowly down on his rear. "Please don't be dead, Kowalski. Please wake up. Tell me, you're just sleeping. Wake up…"

Private wrapped his wings around his friend's body and pressed himself tight at him. He didn't care for the blood that streamed out of the hole in Kowalski's back and seeped through his own plumage, turning white into crimson. He didn't care. He just wished that this was only a nightmare and that he would wake up every moment and that Kowalski would tell him, that nightmares were only visions that hunted us in our sleep, coming from our subconsciousness.

"It's not happening. It's not happening" Private whispered and pressed his face as tight as possible into Kowalski's soft feathers. Tears were running in streams out his eyes and soaked into Kowalski's plumage.

The little penguin lay closely to his dead friend and wept until he fell asleep.

°.

Rico had vet himself as far as possible. But he had just been able to choke up the first aid kid from the hospital again and now he pressed some absorbing cotton on the wound on his belly. He had tried to treat it properly, but he wasn't able to bend down – the pain was just much too intense. The only thing he could do, was to see to it that he didn't bleed to death.

Now, he was floundering through the woods. He had to find Private. He had promised it to Kowalski. He knew that Private was still alive. He had to. He was sure, Skipper had boasted with Private's kill, when he had come back, to lure him out of his hide.

_But maybe_, Rico thought and fought through a brier, _maybe he _didn't _say it to make me feel desperate…_

But he stopped thinking. Thinking was Kowalski's work. His was another one. Or _had it been_? Where they still a squad? Just without a leader?

He could finally free himself out of the brambles and felt exhausted. He hadn't come along far, but his injury robbed him every last bit of power. Rico was just able to schlepp himself at the roots of a tree, when his legs began to tremble.

Rico sank down on the trunk and looked at his injury. The cotton was totally sodden with blood and had become useless. Time to get some new. But before he was able to regurgitate the medical supplies another time, he blacked out.

°.

* * *

><p>°.<p>

**Okay, I really hated myself when I wrote this chapter… When I read it over (along with the song 'Angels' by Whithin Temptation) I first really realized what I had done and tears came to my eyes.**

**I'm sorry… but this story isn't over… that's all I say…**

**So read on.**

**°. **

"_**Wenn man die ganze Zeit aus der Sicht einer Person schreibt, und diese dann sterben lässt, dann ist es irgendwie ein bisschen so, als würde man sich selbst umbringen…" (Ich)**_

"_**When you're writing all the time from the position of one person, and then you let this person die; it's somehow a little bit like killing yourself…" (Me)**_


	5. A Dawn of Hope

**Believe me: I know how a dead body touching feels. Everybody, who has (had) a pet knows…**

**°.**

* * *

><p><strong>A Dawn Of Hope<strong>

Private awoke. He felt cold and thirsty. His throat and eyes hurt from crying. He closed his flippers tighter around Kowalski and new tears came to his eyes as he felt that his body was stiff and cold. It was like hugging a rock – no returning of any emotions. Private sobbed.

The nightfall had began. The dark clouds had split apart and the sky wore a deep blue. The noises of the nightly forest around him frightened the little penguin and he searched for protection in the hugging of the corpse…

Suddenly, Private heard another noise… closer… right behind him. He pressed himself even more tightly at Kowalski and turned his head. In the dimmer light he saw something moving between the trunks. And then an animal stepped out.

"Private!" it cried appalled and ran towards him.

"M-Marlene?" Private stuttered, not unloosing his grip.

The otter knelt down beside him and laid its paws on him.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

Then she realized the situation.

"Oh, Private" Marlene said desperately and stroked him. She looked at Private's red bandages around his flippers, the blood soiled ones on his back and his side being top. It was difficult to say, which was his own blood and which was Kowalski's, who… Marlene laid a paw on him and as she felt him being hard and cold, an ice cold chill went down her spine. She looked at Private. His eyes were closed tightly, his forehead pushed against Kowalski's neck and his body shivered and twitched in sobs. Marlene looked up. It was dangerous being outside here.

"Private. You've got to come with me. We're-"

"No!" Private shouted, so loud and suddenly that she flinched back. "I'm not leaving him! Not again! Never!"

"Private, you can't lie here all night."

"I told you: I am _not_ leaving him!" Private retorted and reinforced his iron grip around Kowalski.

Marlene looked sadly at him.

"Private…"

"No" Private stood pat.

"Private, you can't do anything for him anymore, anyway" Marlene said.

Private pressed his beak tightly together. Marlene stroked him gently.

"Come. Please."

"But I don't want to leave him alone!"

"Do you think that Kowalski had wanted you lying here till death? Look at your injuries; we have to do something about it. And what if Skipper comes back?"

At the saying of Skipper's name, Private winced and pressed Kowalski very tight to himself.

"Kowalski promised me that he won't come back" he whispered.

"Private, Kowalski is dead."

"No."

"Private, he is."

"NO!" shouted Private and it echoed in the forest, that was getting darker.

"Sht" Marlene made frightened and looked around.

"Private, it's really not safe here. Now come."

Private remained at Kowalski's side. Marlene bend down and took him in her arms. It was good to feel a warm body and to hear the pounding of a living heart. And Private pressed himself on her involuntarily. He finally gave in.

"Okay" he mumbled and let Marlene help him up. As he stood in the cold breeze, Private shivered. His legs felt weak. The wind blew violently under his feathers and send chills over his whole body. His feathers were stuck together from Kowalski's blood and therefore his skin was wet, which made him freeze even more. Marlene laid an arm around him.

"But we take Kowalski with us!"

"Private, that won't be possible. I can't take you _and_ him."

Private pushed her back.

"Then I stay!"

Marlene looked helplessly at him. She knew that Private wouldn't leave this place without his friend.

"We can come at daylight and take his body. But now, I'll bring you first somewhere safe. Is that a deal?"

Private hesitated, then he nodded. When she took a step towards him he looked up. Even in the narrow light she could see the expression in his eyes – and it made her worry.

"Come." She took Private in her arms again and they started to walk in the direction she had come from. Private looked back at Kowalski…

"Private, what is with Rico?" Marlene asked, hoping to distract him, although it was not a good topic for a distraction.

"I don't know" Private answered, looking to the ground as they approached the trunks of the trees. "Rico stayed back when Skipper caught us…"

"Do you know where that was?"

"Maybe." He silenced a moment. "But it doesn't matter anyway."

Marlene stopped.

"Private, what are you saying?"

"Rico fought Skipper. He's dead" Private said with so much certainty, that Marlene looked at him in shock. But he still held his head down.

"How can you say that when you don't know it?"

Private shook his head. "I'm sure, he's dead."

Marlene got angry.

"Private. – Tell me where the place was where they fought!"

"For what?" Private retorted.

"Because he may be still alive and needs help!" Marlene said angry, nearly shouting. She couldn't believe what she heard.

"Okay" Private shrugged, still not turning his eyes off the ground and he pointed with a flipper, from which the red bandage hung down, to the right. "That way."

While they were following the direction, Marlene watched Private from the edge of the eye. His behavior was anything but normal. Sure, she had found him crawling to a dead body… But Private had never abandoned a friend, and even less when there was still a chance to safe him. Private walked silently beside her. His head hung down, he didn't look up one time.

"Are you sure we're still on the right path?" Marlene asked at some time. That was the first time when Private lifted his eyes.

"It was here" he said.

"Really?"

He nodded. Marlene took Private's arm from her neck, which she had hold to help him walking, and looked around.

"Look, here's blood" she said, inspecting a dark spot on the earth.

Private didn't move from the place he stood.

"It's too late" he repeated "He's dead."

Marlene got slowly up from the ground, looking at him, but his head was turned to the side. The otter walked over and grabbed the little penguin on its shoulders. She forced him to look her in the face.

Marlene saw in Private's eyes the sorrow from what he had suffered from. And something that had died. Something little, but important.

"Listen, Private" she said "you might have given up. But I – and Skipper might have been right, that I am naïve sometimes – I believe that there's always hope. So if you have lost all; I have not. And I'll keep searching for Rico till I find him to be sure. You can help me or not. But stop making everything worse than it is by looking at the black side! Because it is dark enough! Understand?"

Private stared at her. Then he nodded.

"Good" said Marlene pleased and let go of him. She took a deep breath.

"So… are you helping me, or not?"

Private nodded again, looking on the ground.

To find Rico, they walked the way, Private had run on his flight, further and Private raveled in a brier. Marlene had to help him out of the thorns.

"All right?" she asked. Private nodded and then his look froze.

"What?" Marlene turned around.

There, down on a tree, lay a penguin.

Marlene looked at Private, then she made her way over to the bird, that was lying on its belly. Private came slowly after her.

Marlene rolled Rico on his side, and laid a paw on his chest.

"He's alive" she said to Private, who stood behind her.

Marlene shook Rico slightly and called his name. Finally, he opened his eyes and moaned. Marlene noticed the blood, which was spread on the roots. A dirty piece of absorbent cotton lay around.

Marlene helped Rico up in a sitting position and he lay his back against the tree. He groaned.

Still was blood flowing out his side and if it hadn't been for his plumage, he would have been white as snow from the blood loss. However, he looked up and when he saw Private, something that was a smile, appeared on his face.

"Come on, Rico" Marlene said and pulled him up. His legs trembled and Marlene pushed her own body under his to prevent him from falling.

"Private, would you help me?" she groaned under Rico's weight. Private quickly took Rico's right flipper and they hung him up between them.

Slowly, they commenced going. Rico's head hung down. His body was weak and he could barely walk; Marlene and Private were almost carrying him.

"And where are we going, Marlene?" Private asked, and tried to push Rico into a position in that he could drag him easier. It hurt.

"Don't worry. I know a place where it's safe" answered Marlene. "Some of our friends are there, too."

The forest was now really falling into night. Fortunately, the otter had good eyes in the dark and she knew the way. As they went over a clearing, Marlene said: "Rico… Kowalski is dead."

"Fearedso" was everything, Rico retorted after a moment of silence. But she could see by the look in his face, that it didn't slide just over him…

It seemed to take an eternity for winning way. Occasionally, Marlene and Private could feel that Rico was almost about loosing consciousness, when his body became very heavy. But Rico did his best to help them by staying on his feet. On other points, they had to stop because Private needed a rest.

"We're almost there" Marlene panted finally. Meanwhile, she was carrying the most weight of Rico because Private was just too exhausted and couldn't almost walk himself anymore. The forest was nearly totally black around them, with the trees closing their leaf canopy densely above them, and a moon didn't shine anyway – it was new moon.

As they pushed through some tight scrubs, a deep voice suddenly yelled:

"Who's 'here?"

Marlene and Private had almost dropped Rico with shock.

"It's me!" Marlene said loudly into the darkness. "My goodness, Burt! You nearly made my heart stop!"

"Sorry" the pachyderm retorted guiltily. All that Private could see of him was his gigantic shadow between the trees.

"Could you help me?" Marlene said. "I brought two of our friends."

"Sure." The elephant reached out his trunk and wrapped it gently around Rico, who had finally fell senseless.

"He needs help" Marlene said "Quick."

"Understood" Burt responded, and branches cracked when he turned around and walked away. They followed him in a short distance.

°.

* * *

><p><strong>I edited a picture to this chapter (it's not so good...but look it up:) it's on fanpop called "Private's look back at Kowalski"...<strong>


	6. A safe place is a good place … ?

A safe place is a good place … ?

°.

It didn't took long until they arrived at another clearing. It was surrounded by trees that stood extra tightly together; it nearly seemed like they were 'protecting' the clearing. Burt had some problems to squeeze through them to get to an old oak, which stood at the edge of the clearing. Strangely, a light glowed inside the tree. As they came closer, Private discovered that the oak had a big hole in two and a half meters height.

Burt reached his trunk up to it and somebody that Private couldn't see, took Rico's motionless body inside.

"Burt" said Marlene as she and Private reached the oak's foot. She nearly needed to shout – so loud was the rushing of the trees around them. "Might you help Private up, too? But carefully! He's injured."

Burt dropped Private at the edge of the hole and he slid inside and looked up. It was surprisingly quite roomy. Marlene stepped in behind him.

"And?" she asked "How do you find it?"

"Impressing."

Marlene lead him over to the others. The lemurs Maurice and Mort were sitting next to their sleeping king. Maurice got up, greeted Private quietly and inspected his wounds.

"Come over here" he said and Private followed him to a bench, which was hacked into the oaks wood, like all things in here seemed to be: the table in the middle, the beds, covered with blankets and old newspapers.

Private looked over to the chimpanzees Mason and Phil who had bend over Rico, who laid unconscious on one of the beds.

"Will he…?" Private asked and caught Marlene's look.

"I'm sorry" he mumbled and lowered his head. "For… you know…"

"It's okay, Private" Marlene answered. "You changed your mind so just forget about it. You can tell _him_ later your apologize…"

Maurice didn't know what they were talking about.

"May I?" he asked and pointed at Private's wings.

As he wrapped off the blood soaked bandages around them, Marlene let out a little scream or terror and stepped back. The chimpanzees looked up.

"What's wrong?" Mason asked and came over.

He took Maurice's place, who looked nearly as terrified as Marlene, and inspected Private's flippers.

"Private, what happened to you?" he asked and took one of them very carefully with his hands.

"I was chained" was everything, Private retorted.

Mason inspected the bloody hole through his wing closer.

"That's bad" he mumbled, "that's really bad."

"Phil!" he yelled and the other ape looked up from the other bed.

"I could need your help here."

Phil made some hand signs.

"Fine, then in a minute... Do you have any other injuries, Private?" he asked and glanced at the plasters on his side, which were already flaking off.

Private lay on one side and Mason removed the rest of the blood soaked patches.

Private suddenly noticed how exhausted and tired he actually was…

Mason expected the wound he had from Skipper's sword as he had lost control over his body. Then he went back and started whispering to Phil who answered with gestures, nobody of them could interpret. Marlene sat beside Private on the bed and smiled at him. Private tried to smile back, but somehow, he couldn't. In the moment, everything he wanted, was to sleep to forget the pain. And not just the pain of his wounds…

Mason gave Marlene and Maurice some absorbent cotton and said they should use it to stop the wounds from bleeding. Private remembered that they hadn't bled when they had started to flee from Skipper, but Mason told him, the effort of running had opened them again. And as he learned from Marlene that Private had even helped to drag Rico, he said, it was strange that Private had still been on his feet when they had reached the oak.

Private didn't already really listen to the last part. He was slowly slipping away into a mixture of unconsciousness and sleep, but still, he wasn't senseless. The pain didn't let him fall asleep and he cursed it for that…

Mason knew what to do with Private, but that needed time and they couldn't care for two patients at the same time: Rico's wound was deeper than Private's and his condition was much more critical so they had to look after him first. Mason and Phil did their best to clean and stitch up the wound, and in the end they said that Rico would be fine.

The light was slowly vanishing, voices were almost just a senseless mumbling in the background. Private looked up as Mason bend down to him with a syringe in his hand. He talked to him, but Private didn't understand a word of it. He just nodded. Then he felt a pain in his side, but it was way not as bad as the pain of his wounds. The room began to blur and went eventually black.

°.

King Julien awoke when the chimpanzees had just finished their operation. He looked up and discovered the white feathers of a bird on the opposite bed.

He jumped up.

"Ah! Maurice! Penguin!"

He grabbed his right-hand-man and shook him. Then he pushed Maurice protectively in front of him and moved towards the sleeping Private.

"Quick! Look which penguin it is!" he said frightened.

"It's okay, your majesty" Maurice said, slightly bored. "This one is one of the benign sort…"

"And the other one?" Julien asked who had just discovered the second bird on the next bed.

Maurice looked at Rico. He hesitated.

"That one, too."

Julien relaxed. "Puh, because if it were you-do-know-who, the game would being over!"

°.

While the penguins were still in narcosis, the rest of the group had dinner. It wasn't much they had to eat, but it was enough to make everyone replete. As yet…

Mason looked over to Private, who slightly moved in his sleep.

"I really wonder what happened to him" he said out of a sudden.

The others looked up.

"To who?" Marlene asked.

"Private. And I'm not talking about his flippers. Affirmative, it was some kind of rod shot through them."

Everyone who had seen it – all except for King Julien and the little Mort – shivered.

"No, I mean, he behaves odd. Didn't you notice that?" Mason asked Marlene.

"I did" she answered and lowered her head. "Well, I… you all know where I found him…"

Now, everyone looked down. They were all still shocked and sad about the loss of Kowalski… even Julien, although it was mostly shock than sadness at him…

"But I think, he could have gone through even more than that… that it's even worse, you know" Mason said "and I'd like to find out…"

°.

When Private opened his eyes, it needed a moment until he realized that he was surrounded.

"How you're feeling?" Marlene asked. Private wasn't really able to assess that because his body felt quite numb, and so he simply nodded.

"Private, if it's okay for you" Marlene began "we'd like to-"

"Tell us! Tell us!" Julien interrupted her excitedly "Tell us every little detail that has happened, with all the excitement and the bad penguin with the glowy eyes!"

Private stared at him in shock by this sudden assault.

"What Julien meant, was:" Marlene tried it again after a moment of silence and looked angrily at the lemur. "Everyone of us has gone through something different since this all broke out. And we'd like to now what happened to you … and Rico." Almost, she had said 'Kowalski'…

"What…what has happened?" Private looked at his flippers. They were wrapped in fresh and clean bandages and didn't hurt at all any more thanks to the painkillers he had been given by the chimpanzees. "Um…"

Silence. Private could feel the looks of the others on him and he felt uncomfortable. He asked himself where he should begin. But as he thought back, he saw himself lying in the HQ again, Skipper, standing in front of his face, the mischievous grin on his face, the pain in his side…

Julien became impatient.

"Now come on!" he said rudely "start the telling!"

Private still hesitated. The pictures in his head flickered up and hurt his heart. He just couldn't recall it.

But Julien stuck to his guts. "What is the waiting for? Tell the story!"

"I…" Private felt how his heart started to beat faster. He felt trapped. They all stood in front of him and he just couldn't escape their stinging looks.

"I…" He couldn't. He just couldn't.

"Private, what did Skipper to you?" Marlene asked. "How came it that you got this injury on your wings?"

'_Will ya obey!' __Skipper shouted in his head. The sting. The sting in his back. He sank down. Skipper stepped in front of him._ Private closed his eyes but that only made things worse; the pictures became even clearer.

"Private?" Marlene asked a little worried.

"Story! Story!" Julien yelled eagerly and angry. "Tell us the story!"

Private crouched together; his chest rose and fell quickly_. The dark room. The blood on the walls. The blood on the floor, soaking his feathers. His own blood. Skipper's eyes. His evil eyes. They had been black, he knew it now…_

"Private" Mason began now, too.

But suddenly, a loud and deep snarl came from behind them and they span around. Rico hadn't opened his eyes. He still lay on his bed like he was sleeping. But as they looked at him, he let out another deep growl that said unambiguously: "Leave him alone!"

As they looked back at Private, they saw that he had slipped deep under his blanket and the fabric twitched slightly from sobs.

A little ashamed, they left his bed.

°.

Marlene entered the oak-room again later, while all others were still outside. They had gone out to talk to the elephant, now, that the storm had gone over night, and the sun was shining warmly.

As she looked up, she discovered that Rico wasn't lying in his bed, but standing at Private's bed. She could see, that it caused him a lot of effort and also pain. Nevertheless, Rico had softly laid his flippers on the blanket. Private's face was buried in his pillow and he seemed to cry.

Rico noticed Marlene and looked up. He saw her standing beside the entrance, paralyzed, looking at them with a mixture of surprise and shock.

Rico moaned suddenly and he just managed to lean against his cot before his legs went weak. Marlene hurried over and helped him on his bed again. Rico closed his eyes and breathed deeply a few times to gain control over the pain.

Marlene looked at Private. He had turned his head from his pillow; the blanket pulled up to his closed eyes, and had fallen asleep.

"What is with him?" she asked quietly and quite worried.

But Rico just looked at her and shook his head.


	7. Funeral and Stories

**Funeral and Stories**

In the afternoon, Mason and Phil came back. They had gone to the edge of the forest where Marlene had found Private and now, they carried a bunch of white linen with them.

°.

They buried Kowalski in the light of sundown. They had dug a grave not far away from the oak; underneath some young birches, lowering their thin greened branches sadly over the dark stone, which Burt had dragged here as a grave stone. It was unshaved but deep grey and it did its sad effect…

The group of animals stood around the hole and looked down. The chimpanzees, Marlene and Maurice had wrapped Kowalski's maltreated body into the linen, and had cleaned his face from the blood of the cut over his right cheek. His flippers reached out through two holes in the fabric and were holding a bunch of wild flowers on his chest, Marlene had gathered before.

Private didn't sob. He only stood there while silent tears ran down his cheeks. Rico, who relied heavily on a wooden stick, didn't cry. At least not loud. The others said silently goodbye to a friend they new good, more or less…even Julien. He looked to the skies as he felt a drop falling on his nose. The sun was still shining on the birches, but a lonely cloud on the red and purple sky sent its water to the earth.

_Even the sky spirits are crying for the dead penguin_, Julien thought and looked over to Private.

The rain increased and soon, the twilight was lost in dark clouds covering the sky, and water was running down Burt's skin and was soaking fur and feathers.

Nobody felt like saying something. They just couldn't find the right words. Except for Private, but nobody heard him over the pattering of the rain.

"Thank you, Kowalski" he whispered down to him "thank you for everything…"

°.

The next three days seemed to pass quickly, by having nothing but sleep to offer to the penguins. 'Healing sleep', as Mason called it.

For Private, it was a nightmare filled sleep. He dreamed scenes of what he had gone through and even ones that were just fictive. The others watched when he flinched and whispered in his sleep and sometimes, he awoke with a scream.

Rico often tortured himself out of his bed and reassured him, when he woke up weeping.

Marlene tried the same, but Private didn't let himself being calmed by her. She really felt ashamed now that they had maltreated him so with their questions.

Rico seemed to be the only one, who could reach to Private at least a little. Maybe it was because he didn't ask any questions. So Marlene tried the same, sitting on the edge of Private's bed and stroking him silently – and she had the feeling that she had slightly success…

°.

The food for the penguins was luckily served by themselves: It turned out, Rico had swallowed several dozes of sardines when he had still been in the zoo, and he shared those with Private – even when Julien complained about the fish smell, but nobody cared for him.

°.

Despite the nightmares, the pain and his stricken soul, Private began to feel at home in the oak. It was warm inside here and they had so far, everything they needed. The feeling of being hunted all the time, slowly chased away. On the fourth day, Private was able the first time to do a little walk outside with Marlene. Rico stayed inside, sleeping like the whole time. His wounds healed quickly – there had to be something to this 'healing sleep'…

°.

Although Private didn't give away his own story, the others told him freely what had happened to them.

As the zoo had gone up in flames, they had escaped the fire and had all hidden in the zoovenir shop. With them had been some of the chameleons and Leonard, the koala… Until Skipper had found them. He had attacked without a forewarning and they had tried to escape. The chameleons hadn't been fast enough… And the others had only been able to escape because of Leonard's misfortune. Skipper had forced him into a corner, and hadn't cared for a second for the others. This would have been their chance, but of course they couldn't just leave a friend to his fate. So they had tried to attack Skipper, what he'd repelled easily. Leonard had already been lying on the floor bleeding and Skipper had turned his attention back to him. Over his shoulder he'd said "If I were you, I'd use this moment and run. But don't worry; I'll find each of you anyway sooner or later."

They had known that there was no chance to not take his words for the truth, and so the chimpanzees, the otter and the three lemurs had escaped through the broken door, leaving Leonard and his screams back.

Private had thought that Kowalski would have stayed surely, and it had made him cry one more time.

°.

After lunch on that fourth day, when Private had just crawled back into his bed again, they suddenly heard an alarmed trumpeting from outside. At once, everyone was up on his feet and looked out of the tree, terrified. Burt was nowhere to see; they knew that he had to be right behind those trees were he held reckon duty night and day. If he trumpeted, it meant that someone was coming or had already arrived … Skipper?

But after a while, Burt squeezed through the trees and behind him were, to everyone's surprise, Darla and one of her friends.

The baboons were friendly welcomed and invited in the tree as new habitants. When Darla had greeted the penguins, she asked Private where Kowalski was. As she received word that he had died, she and her friend were quite shocked. They told how Kowalski had helped them, and said, they had hoped being able to thank him for that.

Private buried his face in his blanket again…


	8. Problems

**So, in this chapter I will revert a little to the story before this one. It's also a help for myself to pull a little back to where this all started... :P **

°.

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><p>°.<p>

**Problems**

°.

Two weeks passed quickly.

Rico and Private used the time to return to their old strengths. Rico spent nearly all time sleeping.

Private was mostly sitting on the entrance of the oak hole and watched the branches of the birch trees waving above Kowalski's grave. But the others weren't sure if he really saw them…

Private changed more and more. His happy, life loving nature vanished. Therefore, he became earnest and silent. You hardly heard him speak anymore. He let the others do their stuff and hold himself more than ever in the background. Closing himself more and more to the outside, especially Marlene noticed he was floating in his own world. It was a world build up of memories. Of bad and good ones. A world that changed its face all the time. On one day there, it could all be filled with joy, laughter, sunlight a crowded zoo and snow cones… but from one second to the other, it all went up in flames, burning everything and smothering desperate screams, returning the storm …

Marlene could see which side of this world hold Private captured in one moment: Sometimes he looked into emptiness, softly smiling… sometimes he cried silently for himself alone.

Marlene wished she could help him, but he didn't let her get to his heart. When she tried to talk with him, he gave an elusive respond and went away.

But it wasn't just Private who behaved strangely. All of them hadn't come over the shock yet. They all had their nightmares. Everyone for oneself alone.

King Julien remembered two children who had once sat on a bench near his kingly habitat. They both had got two thick books with them, and were talking excitedly. He had hidden behind the bench with Maurice and Mort and listened. The girls talked about flying horses. Skeleton familiar, black horses with leathery wings… which ate meat. The two girls had suddenly lowered their voices to a whisper and Julien had to cock his ears to understand them. One of the girls had said that those strange horses were invisible, except for someone who had seen a person dying before. Only then they appeared for you.

Julien thought how he had seen the chameleons dying… It had gone so quickly. They had been dead before he'd seen their blood. And in addition to this image he couldn't forget, he was now also afraid to see those freaky horses when he looked at the sky. He already dreamed of them…

°.

Marlene had rather dreams of things that had really happened. The fire… the dead… Private when she had found him…

One time, she dreamed of the old squirrel lady Mrs. Jankins, who she had met in the park short time before the inferno in the zoo had broken out. Marlene had been desperately worried about Skipper at that time, as she had experienced how he had beaten down Kowalski and Rico, terrorized Private and everyone else coming his way…

'_Never heard of those evil spirits, bringing destruction, death and pain to all its habitants?__',_ she heard the squirrel's rough voice say in her dream. She had talked about evil spirits from the Madagascar island. They had been bent once, but for some reason they had escaped now. Or was it only _one_ spirit?

Marlene noticed that she seemed to have a hole in her memory: things that had happened shortly before and after the fire in the zoo, she couldn't remember. Sometimes she sat still just like Private and tried to order her thoughts. She remembered that the old squirrel lady had suddenly broken down unconsciously on the floor. When Marlene had looked out the tree in which Mrs. Jenkins home had been, she had discovered everything outside being dark – the first time that the storm had appeared.

But before that, they had talked… and she remembered the feeling of having something realized. Something important. Something that had shocked her… Marlene pressed her fists against her eyeballs. Red lines and sparks flashed up in the darkness. Everything went deep black and then suddenly white.

Her head flipped up. Everything was a bit overexposed now. She stared into the forest, without seeing the branches actually. Instead, she had a picture before her inner eye. An image of Skipper. She looked him right into the face, behind his head she could see the gray sky and the whirling dark clouds on it. He was pressing her down to the ground, his beak above her nose. His look was rightful, terrifying.

'_You pitiful mammal, I've finally got the chance to stroke you to death'_, he shouted into her face. Marlene shuttered by the memory of the sensation of his flippers that had crawled up to her neck. She had been able to kick him of… she had had luck.

But she remembered now. As she was starring into the darkling forest and the flowers on Kowalski's grave beside her were nodding their heads in the wind.

'_Skipper is possessed by an evil spirit? But Mrs. Jenkins! __What am I supposed to do?'_

Skipper stared down on her. With an expression that didn't resemble his own the least. And then something had flickered over his irises. A shadow. How could she have forgotten this? The scene was so clear now. As if it had _just_ happened; and not more than two weeks ago…

°.

Nightmares, bad memories and being crowded on one little place; all that lead to a tense atmosphere in the oak-house. Little disputes and aggressive reactions happened several times a day. Private hold himself out of everything. Marlene tried desperately to hold the society together, but even she lost her nerves at some points.

°.

On the 18th day after Private and Rico had joined the 'oak-house community', the animals discovered that they had run out of food. Since Darla and her friend had arrived, they had needed even more food. And the sardine cans of Rico were all empty now, too.

The mood dropped further.

In the afternoon, they crowded around the table in the oak and disputed. They had to get new food, but everyone was afraid of the possibility of meeting Skipper when they left the forest…

In the end, they decided that a group of them would leave the Central Park to look in the city for food.

°.

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><p>°.<p>

**Hope, you got my little link to Harry Potter here XD**

Oh, and by speaking of links: My friend, HalonaEopia, made a little pic to this story... I guess it fits best with this chapter. It's about Private.

You can look it up either on deviantart or fanpop, called "Memories". Search it - it really brings "Private's world made up of memories" into picture...


	9. In the City

In the City

°.

The wind was slightly shaking the trees as the group of five animals went over the grass in the cover of the trunks' shadows.

Marlene would have preferred that Private had stayed at the oak but he had said he wanted to help. Rico had wanted to come with them, but Mason had been adamant that he stayed in bed for two more days. Finally Rico had given in. Marlene had been puzzled of the intensity with that Rico wanted to stay at Private's side…

As they approached the streets of New York they noticed at once that something was wrong.

Marlene, Private, King Julien, Maurice and Mort looked at empty streets, abandoned cars and broken windows. A paper flattered by.

"What happened here?" Marlene asked, greatly perturbed.

The others didn't answer. They continued their way through the streets. With the houses in which's windows was not a single light, Manhattan seemed to them like a ghost town. What ever had made the humans disappear, it must had happened in the last two weeks… _'Or'_, Marlene thought and looked through a broken window into a room that was completely messed up, _'it could have just happened in the last few days._'

Suddenly Private stopped. They first noticed it when Marlene looked back. Private stood still and looked down the street as if he was fixing something, but actually, he looked into emptiness.

"Private?" Marlene asked. "What is-?"

"Skipper" Private whispered.

"What?"

"It's Skipper."

They walked back to him.

"What do you mean?" Marlene asked.

Private still starred at the point down the street. But as Marlene looked this direction, she couldn't see anything unsettling or extraordinary.

"Skipper was here" Private said quietly.

"What?" Julien asked disbelieving, but with a hidden worried tone in his voice.

"Private, I know that you're afraid of Skipper. We all are. But that doesn't mean that everything strange we see has to do with him" Marlene said.

Private turned his head to her very slowly, his eyes stayed focused at the point down the street. Just in the last moment he let them move and looked into Marlene's eyes. She realized what she had just said wasn't very standing to reason.

"So you think that Skipper made up this mess?" Maurice asked and lifted his head to the high rising buildings.

Private nodded.

"But how should he have been doing that?" Julien asked in a how-ridiculous-voice "At least, he's just one little stupid penguin!"

"No, he isn't" Private said, still very quietly, as if he feared someone else could here him.

There was a moment of silence, in which everyone took an anxious look around. How could one penguin crash so many windows? Expelling so many humans?

"I think Private might have a point" Maurice said "we should go on, but we should be careful."

And so they continued their way through the city. Behind every corner they expected Skipper standing there, ready to slid them to pieces. Then they found the first body. Marlene suddenly stumbled back as she walked around a car and found a man lying on the ground, his shirt ripped open and dirty from dried blood. His eyes were wide open; his expression showed surprise and terror.

Everyone got a very bad feeling in one's stomach. They found two more dead humans, another man and a woman. Both had died in their cars as the two vehicles had crashed into each other.

After 10 minutes of walking, the five animals arrived at a supermarket. Goods like vegetables and fruits were still quite fresh. And the fridges were still on power. But it seemed like the market had been abandoned only a couple of days ago.

Now they became really afraid. Suddenly, all they wanted was to be back in their tree, safe and sound.

The lemurs went on the fruit bar, Marlene searched for shore dinner and Private took as many sardine cans in his flippers as possible.

Then they went back in direction of the Central Park.

As they reached it, an explosion was heard, far away. Hastily, they searched for cover in the shadow of the trees. Soon, they saw were it had been: on the other end of the park, in the streets behind the zoo's walls, were high flames shooting up into the sky. They could hear the people screaming even from this distance.


	10. A Fatal Dispute

**Okay, I finally decided to rate this Story to 'M'...**

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><p><strong>A fatal Dispute<strong>

When they got back to the oak, they were welcomed by the others. Glad that they had found what they needed, they began to divide up the food. In fact it were only the fruits that had to be shared; the penguins and the otter had brought their own food, and Burt was anyway eating from the trees – although he quite missed his peanuts. But the chimpanzees, lemurs and baboons had the same nurture and so they had to share fairly. This wouldn't have been a problem, if it hadn't been for Julien. The amount of food for them was little and he insisted of getting more than the others. They were really not in the mood for taking his narcissistic nature now and told him to be quite. Of course, the lemur didn't allow that to rest on him. He jumped up and pushed Phil away from his pineapple. Holding the fruit up high like an orb, Julien declared: "Listen, my subjects. I, who is your king, shall be given the most of what I want, which is in this case, this rarely delicious lot of food…" He looked down at the fruits – some where already brown.

"What?" Darla retorted angrily, "we shall starve while you're stuffing yourself?"

"When you formulate it like that" Julien said, threw away the pineapple, picked up a mango and whipped a dirt of it. "Yes."

Darla growled.

"Your majesty", Maurice tried it carefully, although it was noticeable that he was angry too about Julien's behavior, "maybe this isn't the best time to bring up a food-fight…"

"I'm not about to a fight, Maurice" Julien said and leaned back, biting into the mango "I'm just getting what's anyway mine. They just have to accept it", he said with his mouth full.

Mason lifted a finger to say something, but Darla was quicker.

"Listen, you selfish, close-minded king-fake: we're in times of trouble and it is just necessary that we share everything the same. So come out with the food! Now!"

Julien sat up. "Are you threatening me?" he asked and narrowed his eyes to slits.

"Yes, I think so" Darla responded, doing the same.

Julien and Darla moved closer with their angry faces as silence took over the room. It looked as if they would attack each other any moment.

"Fine!" Julien yelled suddenly and threw his arms up in the air. "We're leaving."

He got up from the fruits and strutted to the entrance.

"W-wait? What?" Marlene stammered.

"You heard it, silly otter" Julien told her, "we are leaving. Maurice, Mort, come!"

Nobody moved. They were all in a shock.

"Maurice! Mort!" Julien yelled again, angrily, louder this time. Mort got up from the floor and stepped hesitatingly over to him.

"What are you waiting for, Maurice?" Julien scolded. But the eye-eye-lemur didn't move.

"Don't… don't you want to think about it another time?" he asked carefully.

"No! Nobody of this … guys here are showing the slightest respect to their king! That is why we are leaving. And I am still in waiting for you to move your butt!"

But Maurice didn't. He shook his head. "No, King Julien. Here we're safe. You really should think about it another time. Out there is a killer. If he gets-"

"He won't get _me_" Julien proclaimed angrily and looked at his right-hand-man. "So, you're betraying me here, Maurice?"

"I am not betraying you. I just don't want to be sliced up by the sword of an insane penguin!" Maurice's voice had grown louder and he starred Julien through the room directly in the eyes. A moment passed.

"Then you'll stay here" Julien said and turned to the hole. "Mort!"

Julien disappeared in the darkness of the night outside. The little mouse-lemur looked at his friends again. Then he gave Maurice an apologizing glance and followed the ringtail.

"Wohow, wait!" Marlene said panicking as she saw the community breaking apart. "Maurice, you have to go after him!"

"He won't listen" Maurice said, his ears hanging down. "Just eat", he said to the others. "I'm not feeling hungry anymore."

With these words, the lemur cloistered into a corner where his bed stood, laid down and pretended to fall asleep.

Nobody said a word, the short good mood about having something to eat again, had vanished.

°.

The night came and marched on. Everyone was quite. Maurice was sitting on his bed, looking to the ground.

And they were waiting. In fact, they had all expected Julien to come back soon. Maurice hadn't thought that he would really mean it. He had thought, the 'king' would get afraid in the dark forest and would come running back.

Suddenly a lightning streaked through the lemur's body. Maurice was suddenly packed by an internal panic. Something in his heart had send an alarm signal. He jumped off the bed.

"We have to look after Julien" he said loudly. The others stared at him. But then they nodded.

°.

Everyone except for Darla and her friend left the oak to search for the two missing lemurs. Burt also stayed at the clearing – it would have been too obvious if the elephant had stamped through the forest.

The others went two by two: Rico with Private, Marlene with Maurice, Mason with Phil. Every pair went into another direction to search the woods for Julien and the little Mort.

The forest was dunked into darkness. There had to be a moon up there on the sky, but it was fully covered with clouds. They were all feeling quite unwell: it was dangerous to stumble around in the forest at night.

Rico watched over Private, watched every of his moves; and was thinking.

'_I count on you' _he heard Kowalski's voice say in his head. He had let nothing to happen to Private, he had promised it. Kowalski had always been his friend, they had trusted each other. But as the same, they had trusted Skipper. Rico clenched his fists and stared into the darkness. Skipper. He swore he would let making him pay for what he had done to Kowalski. And Private. He opened his fists and threw another look at him, who's face he couldn't spot in the darkness. Suddenly the anger was gone, and he felt only sad.

'_Rape',_ he thought. Could it really be? He didn't want to believe it. As they had still been a team, they had never even taken that word in the beak. And at least not in front of Private. Skipper had slapped them for that … Rico looked forward again. _And today?_

Rico was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize at once that Private had stopped. They had reached the edge of the trees. Rico discovered the place at once: here, Skipper had brought down Kowalski…

Rico looked at Private, only just able to see his face there it was a little brighter outside the forest. But as Private spoke, Rico realized that he hadn't stopped because of the place they had arrived.

"Didn't you notice the wind?" Private said quietly. His tone was strange. Urging.

Rico looked up to the crowns of the trees that brushed in the strong breeze. He made a noise which matched with his shrugging.

Private was still starring forward without recognizing anything, but his eyes were widened. Rico didn't understand. What should be so bad about some wind?

"The storm" Private whispered. Suddenly he turned his head to Rico. "The storm is coming back."

Rico started to worry about Private.

"An'?" he asked.

"The storm means that Skipper came back" Private said and looked at Rico insistently. "The storm IS Skipper!"

"Huh?" Rico made disbelieving.

"Don't you understand?" Private said, he sounded desperate.

Rico laid a flipper around him.

"Eeeh… no Skipper here" he mumbled to reassure him.

But Private stroked his flipper from his shoulder.

"No. When Skipper was present the last time, there was this wind. And when we were in the town, there was the storm too. But at the other end of the city, were the buildings burned, we could see the storm was even stronger."

Rico tilted his head. He still didn't believe what Private was talking.

"Don't you understand?" Private craved. Rico noticed the despair in his voice to make him understand. "Rico! Skipper must be here, I know it!"

Rico looked at him with disbelieve, but his stomach crouched together. Did he have a point? Or had he gone paranoid?

Suddenly, the two penguins' heads flipped up as they heard a scream echoing through the forest.

°.

Marlene and Maurice searched in north-western direction of the oak, coming into the deepest part of the forest as it seemed. Fortunately, they both had good eyes in the dark, especially the lemur for being nocturnal. They looked anxiously around every trunk before they went further.

"You think we will find them?" Marlene whispered as they came close.

"We have to" Maurice answered.

He went through some bushes that tugged on his fur. Marlene came after him. Maurice turned to free his tail from some low growing thorns on the ground and as he wanted to walk forward again, he froze in his steps. Marlene stopped right behind him.

"What is-" she began, but then she saw it.

Right in front of them, lay a body. The body of a lemur. A tall lemur with a ringed tail. Maurice loosed himself from his rigidity and rushed to it. Marlene knelt down on Julien's other side. Julien was lying on his belly, face-down. Maurice shook him and called his name. There the king didn't react, Maurice grabbed him by his shoulders and rolled him around.

Marlene let out a loud scream.

Mason and Phil heard her as well as the penguins. Everyone turned around on their heels and ran to where they had heard it – from deep down inside the forest.

Private stayed closely behind Rico, who rushed forward. He had such a bad feeling in his guts. He knew that something horrible had happened. Halfway he asked himself, if he had really a bad feeling or if he just had a bad feeling by everything that happened, especially when it had to do with a scream.

But then, they saw Maurice coming towards them between the trunks, a horrified expression on his face.

"What is it?" Mason yelled, who neared with Phil from the right.

"Julien" Maurice said, his voice shook "he is… he's…"

Rico pushed him to the side. They followed him as he pushed through the bushes to stop abruptly in front of the corpse. Rico stared a moment down on it, then he suddenly turned back and urged Private away who was about to come after him, without saying a word.

Marlene had sunk down on a tree, clenching her legs. Rico went to her and tried to pull her up, but she rejected. Her eyes were wide opened.

Rico yanked her up and shook her. As her frozen look remained, he slapped her harshly. Marlene let out a little scream and looked at him shocked. But he just pulled her closer, his flippers grabbing her arms, and looked her deep in the eyes, as far as possible in this lighting conditions. It needed a moment, but then it worked. Marlene's hunting look vanished and she breathed deeply.

"Okay?" Rico asked.

She nodded. He let go of her and looked back. The chimpanzees were examining the body and Maurice watched them with shock still written all over his face. Rico looked at Private who stood beside him, as he had watched how Rico had brought Marlene back to her mind. He lifted his eyes as Rico turned his head to him.

"Where's Mort?" he asked.

Everybody looked up. He was right. The little mouse lemur wasn't here. That meant that he had been able to flee… or that Skipper had abducted him.

They spread out around the place and called Mort's name. Private's bad feeling increased. He didn't think it was the wisest idea to run around shouting in a dark forest where just someone had been sliced up with a sword. He suddenly realized how indifferently he thought about Julien's death. And was shocked of himself.

_But when I think back_, he thought as he pushed some branches of a tree back on which he had climbed, _I knew it… somehow. I knew he would die when he went out there alone._

Again, he was disgusted of himself for being so cold-hearted. But then something caught his attention. Without noticing it, he had looked right into the gigantic eyes of someone just a few centimeters before him.

"Mort?"

The little lemur let out a terrified scream and rushed down the tree trunk.

"Mort, wait!"

The others heard Private shout and quickly came over. Mort had hidden in a scrub on the ground. As they looked into it, he flinched back.

"Hey, Mort, it's us" Marlene said softly. She had finally recovered from her shock state. She reached her arms in the scrub and pulled the little lemur out. Mort pressed himself against her chest.

"Mort, what happened?" Maurice asked earnestly.

Mort lifted his head. Rico upheld the torch he had just chocked up and pointed its light at the little lemur. Everyone gasped. Mort's fur was splattered with blood and his big eyes seemed to be widened even more than usual.

"King…King Julien" he stammered.

"Yes, we know, Mort" Maurice said, his tone sounded somehow aggressive "but how?"

But Mort's response was cut by a loud bang from far behind them, which let the ground and the trees quake.

"What the-" Marlene yelled and they all span around. They could see a red light glowing through the forest. Rico was the first, who tackled from his shock starring and ran back in direction of the old oak.

The others followed him a few moments later.

The closer Rico came to the place of happening, the clearer became the gleaming; and then, he could suddenly smell smoke and heard the crackling of flames. He quickened his pace, a terrible foreboding feeling in his heart.

Rico broke through the narrow standing thin trunks of the birches and stormed on the clearing. There he held on and his eyes wandered unbelieving and terrified over the scenery. The oak was on fire, the flames shot high into the dark sky, springing from the tree's crown. The clearing was draped in smoke that made the penguin's eyes tear. The flames were already taking over on the smaller trees that surrounded the clearing and they were growing higher.

But that wasn't the reason why Rico's knees became weak. Right before him, the big legs stretched out to the left, lay the giant body of the elephant. Rico swallowed and he had to scream internally at his legs that they carried him further. Slowly he made towards the giant animal and surrounded it till he approached its head. His knees finally quit him the service and he sank down on them.

Burt's big eyes were half opened, his pupils covered with a milky film that lay upon his irises. Rico needed a moment before he could tear his eyes away from Burt's and they wandered desperately over his body. Blood flew out of several cuts from the elephant's trunk, his face, rear and side. Rico looked down, and discovered that a pool of thick blood was clustering from down of the pachyderm's stomach.

The others stumbled through the trees behind him – and stopped.

"Oooh…" Private made and buried his face in his flippers. The others just stood in shock. They couldn't believe it. Not just the fact, that another friend had died, but the one that it had been Burt. Could it really have been Skipper? A penguin had killed an elephant? It sounded just too abnormal to be true.

Marlene looked up at the tree which was slowly eaten up by the flames. She gasped as a thought came to her mind and she ran over to the oak. As she passed Rico, he looked up and shouted after her, but she didn't react on him. Marlene climbed up to the hole in the trunk and looked inside. Everything was slashed and crashed. Deep scratches on the wall bore witness of a fight. Marlene pushed herself up to the entry to have a better view. She realized blood splatters on the floor and on the walls. And then… two lifeless bodies in the backmost corner of the room. Marlene's throat escaped a moan. She felt Rico climbing up beside her. He realized the scenery at once. The penguin lay an arm around the otter's shoulder and pulled her softly away.

"But" Marlene said "maybe we can still help them!" Nevertheless, she let Rico lead her away.

"Nu-uh" Rico shook his head.

The flames suddenly spread all through the oak, setting the room on fire. Marlene and Rico hurried that they came down from the trunk.

Helplessly, they turned back and watched as it completely enveloped in flames. Their home… the last thing they had had.

The others watched from further behind as the old oak began to break down.

Mason bowed down to Burt, and closed his large eyes.

Suddenly the wind veered and Rico looked up. A harsh blast of air drove into the fire and it hit out. They all took a step back as they felt the flames' heat and Rico and Marlene returned to the others to the edge of the clearing. Rico looked at Private who glanced at him with an anxiously and significant look before he looked up at the waving tree crowns again.

"It's not safe here" Private said quietly and Rico nodded.

"Come" he said, addressing to everyone.

°.

As they looked back some time later, they could see how the flames grew over the forest. Luckily, you could say, it began raining soon.

Rain, to extinguish flames. Rain, to wash away blood. Rain, to hide footprints in the mud…

°.

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**Story's not over! **


	11. Black Thoughts

**Black Thoughts**

**°. **

_He pressed his beak tightly together to bare the pain._

_The dark fog, which flew through his veins, thickened at the two broken rips. He tried not to scream as the healing began._

_His flipper closed tightly around the hilt of his sword. He lifted the blade. The darkness licked over the metal._

_This damn elephant!_

_Every time the demon helped him, he felt so exhausted afterwards. Exhausted like now. He had barely managed to get back from the forest. Otherwise, he had chased those tiny bastards! Now, he lay in the lair, slipped down at the wall on the ground and he could barely move from what the demon was doing with his body. The pain in his chest increased and _then_ abated slowly._

_He took some deep breaths and felt this creature move inside him._

"_Idiot!" he heard it say in his head. "You should have taken my help from the beginning! I know I told you, you should only do it if really necessary. But if you die you are useless for me!"_

"_Forgive me", he retorted bitterly with a trace of sarcasm, and tried to stand up. His body was numb and stiff._

"_If you had used my force from the beginning to kill this pachyderm, you could have gotten the other ones too!" the demon complained. "Now they have hidden and we'll have to find them again!"_

"_We will get them" he thought and the demon snarled in response._

_°._

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><p><strong>Sorry, that I didn't update for so long. I wrote this in holiday by the sea XD I hope that I will go on soon... also with "Memories in the Red Snow" ... <strong>


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